In the tradition of Bertrand Russell's
Why I Am Not a Christian and Sam Harris' recent best-seller,
The End of Faith, Christopher Hitchens makes the ultimate case against religion. With a close and erudite reading of the major religious texts, he documents the ways in which religion is a man-made wish, a cause of dangerous sexual repression, and a distortion of our origins in the cosmos.

5 out of 5 stars

Hitch, as ususal, pulls no punches

By
Keijo
on
25-04-2015

Letters to a Young Contrarian

By:
Christopher Hitchens

Narrated by:
James Adams

Length: 3 hrs and 39 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
25

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
25

Story

5 out of 5 stars
24

In the book that he was born to write, provocateur and best-selling author Christopher Hitchens inspires future generations of radicals, gadflies, mavericks, rebels, angry young (wo)men, and dissidents. Who better to speak to that person who finds him or herself in a contrarian position than Hitchens, who has made a career of disagreeing in profound and entertaining ways.

The Missionary Position

Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice

By:
Christopher Hitchens,
Thomas Mallon (foreword)

Narrated by:
Simon Prebble

Length: 2 hrs and 11 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
28

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
24

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
25

"A religious fundamentalist, a political operative, a primitive sermonizer, and an accomplice of worldly secular powers. Her mission has always been of this kind. The irony is that she has never been able to induce anybody to believe her. It is past time that she was duly honored and taken at her word." Among his many books, perhaps none have sparked more outrage than
The Missionary Position, Christopher Hitchens's meticulous study of the life and deeds of Mother Teresa.

5 out of 5 stars

Classic Hitch

By
rohan hughes
on
06-03-2017

The Trial of Henry Kissinger

By:
Christopher Hitchens,
Ariel Dorfman (introduction)

Narrated by:
Simon Prebble

Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
13

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
12

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
13

"If the courts and lawyers of this country will not do their duty, we shall watch as the victims and survivors of this man pursue justice and vindication in their own dignified and painstaking way, and at their own expense, and we shall be put to shame." Forget Pinochet, Milosevic, Hussein, Kim Jong-il, or Gaddafi: America need look no further than its own lauded leaders for a war criminal whose offenses rival those of the most heinous dictators in recent history-Henry Kissinger.

5 out of 5 stars

I never knew.

By
Curtis Yates
on
27-04-2017

Christopher Hitchens in Conversation with Salman Rushdie

By:
Christopher Hitchens

Narrated by:
Salman Rushdie

Length: 1 hr and 16 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
10

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
10

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
10

Over the course of his 60 years, Christopher Hitchens has been a citizen of both the United States and the United Kingdom. He has been both a socialist opposed to the war in Vietnam and a supporter of the U.S. war against Islamic extremism in Iraq. He has been both a foreign correspondent in some of the world's most dangerous places and a legendary bon vivant. He is a fervent atheist, raised as a Christian, by a mother whose Jewish heritage was not revealed to him until her suicide.

The Portable Atheist

Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever

By:
Christopher Hitchens

Narrated by:
Nicholas Ball

Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins

Abridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
15

Performance

3.5 out of 5 stars
15

Story

4 out of 5 stars
15

Christopher Hitchens continues to make the case for a splendidly godless universe in this first-ever gathering of the influential voices past and present that have shaped his side of the current (and raging) God/no-god debate. With Hitchens as your erudite and witty guide, you'll be led through a wealth of philosophy, literature, and scientific inquiry, including generous portions of the words of Lucretius, Benedict de Spinoza, Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, Mark Twain, and more.

1 out of 5 stars

Incomplete

By
Amazon Customer
on
23-04-2017

God Is Not Great

How Religion Poisons Everything

By:
Christopher Hitchens

Narrated by:
Christopher Hitchens

Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
311

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
275

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
269

In the tradition of Bertrand Russell's
Why I Am Not a Christian and Sam Harris' recent best-seller,
The End of Faith, Christopher Hitchens makes the ultimate case against religion. With a close and erudite reading of the major religious texts, he documents the ways in which religion is a man-made wish, a cause of dangerous sexual repression, and a distortion of our origins in the cosmos.

5 out of 5 stars

Hitch, as ususal, pulls no punches

By
Keijo
on
25-04-2015

Letters to a Young Contrarian

By:
Christopher Hitchens

Narrated by:
James Adams

Length: 3 hrs and 39 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
25

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
25

Story

5 out of 5 stars
24

In the book that he was born to write, provocateur and best-selling author Christopher Hitchens inspires future generations of radicals, gadflies, mavericks, rebels, angry young (wo)men, and dissidents. Who better to speak to that person who finds him or herself in a contrarian position than Hitchens, who has made a career of disagreeing in profound and entertaining ways.

The Missionary Position

Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice

By:
Christopher Hitchens,
Thomas Mallon (foreword)

Narrated by:
Simon Prebble

Length: 2 hrs and 11 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
28

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
24

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
25

"A religious fundamentalist, a political operative, a primitive sermonizer, and an accomplice of worldly secular powers. Her mission has always been of this kind. The irony is that she has never been able to induce anybody to believe her. It is past time that she was duly honored and taken at her word." Among his many books, perhaps none have sparked more outrage than
The Missionary Position, Christopher Hitchens's meticulous study of the life and deeds of Mother Teresa.

5 out of 5 stars

Classic Hitch

By
rohan hughes
on
06-03-2017

The Trial of Henry Kissinger

By:
Christopher Hitchens,
Ariel Dorfman (introduction)

Narrated by:
Simon Prebble

Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
13

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
12

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
13

"If the courts and lawyers of this country will not do their duty, we shall watch as the victims and survivors of this man pursue justice and vindication in their own dignified and painstaking way, and at their own expense, and we shall be put to shame." Forget Pinochet, Milosevic, Hussein, Kim Jong-il, or Gaddafi: America need look no further than its own lauded leaders for a war criminal whose offenses rival those of the most heinous dictators in recent history-Henry Kissinger.

5 out of 5 stars

I never knew.

By
Curtis Yates
on
27-04-2017

Christopher Hitchens in Conversation with Salman Rushdie

By:
Christopher Hitchens

Narrated by:
Salman Rushdie

Length: 1 hr and 16 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
10

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
10

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
10

Over the course of his 60 years, Christopher Hitchens has been a citizen of both the United States and the United Kingdom. He has been both a socialist opposed to the war in Vietnam and a supporter of the U.S. war against Islamic extremism in Iraq. He has been both a foreign correspondent in some of the world's most dangerous places and a legendary bon vivant. He is a fervent atheist, raised as a Christian, by a mother whose Jewish heritage was not revealed to him until her suicide.

The Portable Atheist

Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever

By:
Christopher Hitchens

Narrated by:
Nicholas Ball

Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins

Abridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
15

Performance

3.5 out of 5 stars
15

Story

4 out of 5 stars
15

Christopher Hitchens continues to make the case for a splendidly godless universe in this first-ever gathering of the influential voices past and present that have shaped his side of the current (and raging) God/no-god debate. With Hitchens as your erudite and witty guide, you'll be led through a wealth of philosophy, literature, and scientific inquiry, including generous portions of the words of Lucretius, Benedict de Spinoza, Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, Mark Twain, and more.

1 out of 5 stars

Incomplete

By
Amazon Customer
on
23-04-2017

The Moral Landscape

By:
Sam Harris

Narrated by:
Sam Harris

Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
227

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
200

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
193

Sam Harris has discovered that most people, from secular scientists to religious fundamentalists, agree on one point: science has nothing to say on the subject of human values. Indeed, science’s failure to address questions of meaning and morality has become the primary justification for religious faith.The underlying claim is that while science is the best authority on the workings of the physical universe, religion is the best authority on meaning, values, morality, and leading a good life.

5 out of 5 stars

Sam Harris is the tits.

By
Amazon Customer
on
19-09-2016

No One Left to Lie To

The Triangulations of William Jefferson Clinton

By:
Christopher Hitchens,
Douglas Brinkley (foreword)

Narrated by:
Simon Prebble

Length: 4 hrs and 52 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
14

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
13

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
13

In
No One Left to Lie to, a
New York Times best seller, Christopher Hitchens casts an unflinching eye on the Clinton political machine and offers a searing indictment of a president who sought to hold power at any cost. With blistering wit and meticulous documentation, Hitchens masterfully deconstructs Clinton's abject propensity for pandering to the Left while delivering to the Right.

3 out of 5 stars

A searing polemic

By
James
on
08-08-2018

Blood, Class, and Empire

The Enduring Anglo-American Relationship

By:
Christopher Hitchens

Narrated by:
Anthony May

Length: 15 hrs and 7 mins

Unabridged

Overall

5 out of 5 stars
5

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
5

Story

5 out of 5 stars
5

Since the end of the Cold War so-called experts have been predicting the eclipse of America's 'special relationship' with Britain. But as events have shown, especially in the wake of 9/11, the political and cultural ties between America and Britain have grown stronger. Blood, Class, and Empire examines the dynamics of this relationship, its many cultural manifestations - the James Bond series, PBS "Brit Kitsch", Rudyard Kipling - and explains why it still persists.

5 out of 5 stars

Hitch is gone. Sigh.

By
Daivin
on
16-01-2015

God Is Not Great

The Case Against Religion

By:
Christopher Hitchens

Narrated by:
Christopher Hitchens

Length: 4 hrs and 4 mins

Abridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
18

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
17

Story

5 out of 5 stars
18

With eloquent clarity, Hitchens frames the argument for a more secular life based on science and reason, in which the heavens are replaced by the Hubble Telescope's awesome view of the universe, and Moses and the burning bush give way to the beauty and symmetry of the double helix.

1 out of 5 stars

Do not bother with this edition

By
Anonymous User
on
18-09-2017

Waking Up

By:
Sam Harris

Narrated by:
Sam Harris

Length: 5 hrs and 51 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
569

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
501

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
496

For the millions of people who want spirituality without religion, Sam Harris’s new book is a guide to meditation as a rational spiritual practice informed by neuroscience and psychology. From bestselling author, neuroscientist, and “new atheist” Sam Harris, Waking Up is for the increasingly large numbers of people who follow no religion, but who suspect that Jesus, Buddha, Lao Tzu, Rumi, and the other saints and sages of history could not have all been epileptics, schizophrenics, or frauds.

5 out of 5 stars

Great insight into the mind

By
sam
on
10-03-2015

Love, Poverty, and War

Journeys and Essays

By:
Christopher Hitchens

Narrated by:
Anthony May

Length: 19 hrs and 59 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
3

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
3

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
3

Love, Poverty, and War: Journeys and Essays showcases the Hitchens rejection of consensus and cliché, whether he's reporting from abroad in Indonesia, Kurdistan, Iraq, North Korea, or Cuba, or when his pen is targeted mercilessly at the likes of William Clinton, Mother Theresa ("a fanatic, a fundamentalist, and a fraud"), the Dalai Lama, Noam Chomsky, Mel Gibson, and Michael Bloomberg.

The God Delusion

By:
Richard Dawkins

Narrated by:
Richard Dawkins,
Lalla Ward

Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
356

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
318

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
314

Winner of the British Book Awards, Author of the Year, 2007.Shortlisted for the British Book Awards, Book of the Year, 2007.Shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize, 2007.Winner of the Audiobook Download of the Year, 2007.As the author of many classic works on science and philosophy, Richard Dawkins has always asserted the irrationality of belief in God and the grievous harm it has inflicted on society. He now focuses his fierce intellect exclusively on this subject, denouncing its faulty logic and the suffering it causes.

4 out of 5 stars

Very informative

By
Kristopher
on
11-12-2014

12 Rules for Life

An Antidote to Chaos

By:
Jordan B. Peterson

Narrated by:
Jordan B. Peterson

Length: 15 hrs and 39 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,646

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,367

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,350

What are the most valuable things that everyone should know? Acclaimed clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson has influenced the modern understanding of personality, and now he has become one of the world's most popular public thinkers. In this book, he provides 12 profound and practical principles for how to live a meaningful life, from setting your house in order before criticising others to comparing yourself to who you were yesterday, not someone else today.

4 out of 5 stars

Great advice but a little long-winded at times.

By
James
on
16-02-2018

Salman Rushdie at the 92nd Street Y

By:
Salman Rushdie

Narrated by:
Christopher Hitchens

Length: 1 hr and 36 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
6

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
5

Story

4 out of 5 stars
5

Mr. Rushdie, the author of
Midnight's Children,
The Satanic Verses and
The Ground Beneath Her Feet, reads from his newest novel,
Shalimar the Clown.

Mythos

By:
Stephen Fry

Narrated by:
Stephen Fry

Length: 15 hrs and 25 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,821

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
1,678

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,671

The Greek myths are amongst the greatest stories ever told, passed down through millennia and inspiring writers and artists as varied as Shakespeare, Michelangelo, James Joyce and Walt Disney. They are embedded deeply in the traditions, tales and cultural DNA of the West. You'll fall in love with Zeus, marvel at the birth of Athena, wince at Cronus and Gaia's revenge on Ouranos, weep with King Midas and hunt with the beautiful and ferocious Artemis.

5 out of 5 stars

Superb!

By
Anonymous User
on
14-11-2017

Gulag

A History

By:
Anne Applebaum

Narrated by:
Laural Merlington

Length: 27 hrs and 41 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
15

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
15

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
15

The Gulag - a vast array of Soviet concentration camps that held millions of political and criminal prisoners - was a system of repression and punishment that terrorized the entire society, embodying the worst tendencies of Soviet communism. In this magisterial and acclaimed history, Anne Applebaum offers the first fully documented portrait of the Gulag, from its origins in the Russian Revolution, through its expansion under Stalin, to its collapse in the era of glasnost.

The Blind Watchmaker

Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design

By:
Richard Dawkins

Narrated by:
Richard Dawkins,
Lalla Ward

Length: 14 hrs and 40 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
67

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
63

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
62

The Blind Watchmaker, knowledgably narrated by author Richard Dawkins, is as prescient and timely a book as ever. The watchmaker belongs to the 18th-century theologian William Paley, who argued that just as a watch is too complicated and functional to have sprung into existence by accident, so too must all living things, with their far greater complexity, be purposefully designed. Charles Darwin's brilliant discovery challenged the creationist arguments; but only Richard Dawkins could have written this elegant riposte.

4 out of 5 stars

good reading, but hard to keep track

By
John
on
10-07-2018

Publisher's Summary

In this long-awaited and candid memoir, Hitchens re-traces the footsteps of his life to date, from his childhood in Portsmouth, with his adoring, tragic mother and reserved Naval officer father; to his life in Washington DC, the base from which from he would launch fierce attacks on tyranny of all kinds. Along the way, he recalls the girls, boys and booze; the friendships and the feuds; the grand struggles and lost causes; and the mistakes and misgivings that have characterised his life.

Hitch-22 is, by turns, moving and funny, charming and infuriating, enraging and inspiring. It is an indispensable companion to the life and thought of our pre-eminent political writer.

Narrated by Christopher Hitchens himself shortly before his untimely death, this is a poignant listening experience.

Brilliant

Hitchens has immortalised yet humanised himself

Hitchens' voice alone is astounding, however it is his skill with not only presenting words, but arranging, decorating and using them to exact so perfectly the effect he wants his audience to have. At times his sincerity and ironic consciousness to not be self-conscious really create the honest image of this man who recognises the pages soon closing on him. His commentary on Cold War politics (the most influential period of his life), can be both alienating and inspiring for a young audience who should ensure they then go out and learn more about this era.

His playful insistence to see and make poetry at all opportunities is iconic and cements his reputation. The mixture of cheer and shame and embarassment as he unlocks once repressed memories of his youth shows Hitch's humanity and susceptibility to their upbringing, yet also show his admirable ability to reflect with humour and scrutiny.

Hitch 22 is not his whole legacy, however is a strong testament to who he is and how he formed such a bold persona over his very full years above this earth. He assures me that hedonism and the pursuit of love, knowledge and goodness cannot ever be underrated, regardless of how many years you may or may not have on your card.

Tour De Force but rebalance your speakers

Firstly I want to say an objective analysis of this book for me is impossible. I came to Hitchens through YouTube I think and vía Dawkins and Carl Sagan. I had been an agnostic before - but he hooked me on the atheist bent. When I finished god is not great, hitch 22 was the next step for me.

I owe hitch a great personal debt. In 2017 he revolutionised my life, leading me away from the self improvement tomes which were pretty much the only books I was reading - into a new world of critical thought, philosophy (though I had dabbled with this before), literature, politics and poetry.

I am now a WH Auden fan. I listen to classical music, and Gilbert and Sullivan. I have read David Hume, Lucretius, Marx and more. My to read list is populated by Hitch’s suggestions. Partially due to his influence, and the influence of others in my life i went back to university and started studying my masters degree. I met my girlfriend there. My politics started shifting from the traditional conservative area that I had associated with to more to the left, although I suspect that in his later years hitch would have not made too much of this. Crucially hitch has taught me to rediscover my critical faculties which have laid dormant for over 10 years and my love of the written word. He taught me the dialectic, the didactic and critical tenacity I owe him everything for my own personal renaissance.

If he can do that for me, imagine what he can do for you. This book tells you about the events, the politics and crucially the books that moulded him. Grasp the lessons that you can. It merits a second go, though I’m likely to do it with the hard copy next time to actually grasp more of the lessons to be squeezed out of it.

This is the only book I’ve ever awarded five stars. It should be part of your library.

One caveat - hitch’s baritone is so lovely, but it is so bassy the reverberations made it a difficult listen on a set of Bose speakers. I think the producers could’ve done a slightly better job with the balancing of the audio in what is otherwise a fantastic book.

hitchs tells his story

it's more a summary of his work than an intimate biography. remains mostly aloof. his distaste for audiobooks is reflected in his narration, to the point that at times its inaudible. but I'd prefer this over anybody else.

An interesting memoir

Hitchens describes the various phases of his life and politics with brutal honesty.

Worth a read

Sort by:

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Ross

29-03-2012

MASTERFUL & REVEALING

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, yes, yes. It is a fabulous example of the value of a deep education, an insight into a brilliant mind and an honest walk in the shoes of a less than perfect but incredibly timely, talents, fortunate and authentic individual.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hitch-22?

There are numerous memorable moments but I would choose Hitch's narrative of the funeral of Mark Daily as one that has securely implanted itself in my mind.

Which scene was your favorite?

His vivid description of the approach to Malta with his mother as a child.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Hitch22 - erudite, eloquent and honest - the powerful life of an idealist.

Any additional comments?

In writing this review I am concerned that my feeble abilities may reflect poorly upon the subject. Hitch 22 is worth 'reading' even if the person or topic does not interest you purely for the quality of the writing. I normally listen to books on 2 or 3 times normal speed, Hitch packs so much content and meaning into each sentence that I had to listen to this, at least the first time, at normal speed and replay sections just to hear it again for deep effect. Hitch narrated with presence and sincerity. By listening to this book as opposed to reading it I feel I gained another dimension of or connection to who he was. This is a unique method of leaving your mark on the world and mark well worth the leaving. Well lived Hitch.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

mahoneko

12-07-2014

Essential: The memoir of super-literate dissident

What did you love best about Hitch-22?

The way he takes us through the last 60 odd years cutting away the nonsense, smoke and mirrors and infighting hidden truths, conspiracy and corruption.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Obviously Hitchens himself.

Have you listened to any of Christopher Hitchens’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Actually his performance on his God is Great book is a little better, but obviously he was ill when he narrated this memoir, it is still a delight to hear him narrate it himself, he was one of the best public speakers.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A very British American Dissident.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Ian

06-09-2012

Hitchens history, Hitchens words, read by Hitchens

I know there should be apostrophes in the "Hitchens"es in the title. But Audible wouldn't give me space and I couldn't bring myself to call him Hitch. Because I don't know him well enough and very sadly I now never will. So I chose bad punctuation over disrespect.

If you love Hitchen's writing, which I do. And love his speaking, which I do. Then you will love this work. The biography of a clever, witty and educated man spoken by himself is always going to be an interesting read and this is. The only downside is that I had to keep stopping it because it made me sad to realise that the supply of thought from this man has been cut short.

If you don't like Hitchens ideas or the way he expresses them then quite frankly you will hate this book with a passion. Good. Real thought is not meant to be easy and real ideas require work. The problem is that the people who will hate this work the most will do so without ever reading it.

Starting from his childhood and dealing openly with his schoolboy experiences , his family and the beginning of his political thinking, Hitchens reveals himself to be a very human set of contradictions. He speaks warmly of favoured authors and people who he touches along the way. There is enough soul searching to be interesting and enough lack of cod psychology to be refreshing. He tells it the way he sees it and explains why he sees it that way.

There is some slightly boring stuff about the literary circle he moved in and literary people he meets. Its interesting enough in small doses but there are sections where it goes on a bit and has a quality of "You probably needed to be there" about it. But at the end of the day that is the man. He is literary to his boots except when he is political.

And the politics is interesting. Always leftist (whatever that means) he shows that his actual politic compass was always pointed at attacking totalitarianism in any of its many forms and that sometimes meant that the lesser of two evils still looked evil from the outside. The passages dealing with his road to US citizenship are fascinating.

There is relatively little about Hitchens high profile contribution to the rationalist atheist movement. If you want to hear Hitchens on religion then buy a copy of "God is not Great". (No - I mean it - buy a copy - he reads that too and its marvellous).

All in all this is a work that I will listen to again and again. As much because it feels just a tiny bit like it gives me the privilege of spending a little time with a careful thinker who I shall never meet.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

jammer

14-05-2015

The amazing Christopher Hitchens

Just get it. You will learn stuff. The mans life and knowledge is very compelling as one of the worlds best orators and thinkers. Highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Roger Morris

27-01-2015

Fantastic!

Any additional comments?

A fascinating and highly entertaining memoir of a extremely interesting and multifaceted public intellectual. Hitchens is a fine and inspiring example of the value of a broad education in literature and the humanities, as well as an excellent advertisement for being well and broadly read in both the classics and contemporary literature. Highly recommended!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

4 out of 5 stars

Felix Del Barrio

12-04-2013

A masterful memoir

If you could sum up Hitch-22 in three words, what would they be?

The Horse's Mouth

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

An amazing recollection of the boy from Irvine who took Christopher's views to heart.

Any additional comments?

A great book

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Amazon Customer

21-10-2017

Hitch is great.

The world is little less without Hitch. He was a champion of social justice and liberalism. Both a vociferous and eloquent voice of reason. His life story is fascinating, yet it is ironic sadly that he penned his autobiography unaware of his pending fate.

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

4 out of 5 stars

Dj Shelwell

07-08-2016

A must hear if you love Hitch

Can get quite obscure but to have his story & insights spoken by his own voice is fantastic

Sort by:

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

3 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Penny

18-06-2016

Honest but difficult listening

I was always engaged in the unfolding story of C.H. and his family - a very honest and revealing memoir of an interesting life. His was no ordinary life, living in a world where elitism is the norm, the world of private schools and Oxford, rubbing shoulders with influential people. However, you get the feeling that despite inhabiting the 'dreaming spires' he was a decent bloke at heart. I feel bad complaining about the narration of this audiobook as it is done by the author, and who could better that? But his voice rises and falls away over the course of phrases and sentences and I completely lost a lot of it - I found at times I was just about yelling at him to 'speak up'!! Sorry - I'm a fan and have great respect for his writings but C.H. is not a good narrator.

13 of 13 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

CCW

18-09-2012

Tour De Force

I lament the ending of this audio master-piece, made superbly personal by the voice of Hitch himself. What a wonderful man, and what a marvellous contribution to call for sanity in a mad and cruel world. Truly one of my hero's. So much better in audio format as well when read by the author. So very personal for the listener. I wish I had known this human being who's self deprecating honesty is a tonic to me, and a rare trait in one so gifted.

10 of 10 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

3 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Sean Inglis

30-01-2014

Wide ranging, erudite and opinionated

Anyone looking for a biography / memoir of Christopher Hitchens probably has a decent idea what they're in for, so there's little point in dwelling on his opinions and analyses as such.

However the background describing how he came to be were he was is well told, entertaining and at least appears even-handed.

A fair bit of clever wordplay without being too clever for it's own good and, if you're anything like me, it'll have you entertained scuttling down various rabbit holes to follow up references.

The performance / recording is a bit more problematic.

In general terms, he has a great voice, and who better to understand how it should be stressed and delivered than the author?

However within that delivery there are issues; he has a tendency to start off a sentence in a booming and declarative way, but finish in the equivalent of an off-hand or conspiratorial whisper.

This means that in situations where there was any ambient noise - walking the dog for instance - it was impossible to achieve a comfortable volume and the experience degenerated into an exercise in constant swearing, rewinding, adjustment and replaying.

In the end, I gave up attempting to listen in anything other than ideal conditions, and that improved the experience by leaps and bounds. Maybe best listened to and reflected upon in that way anyway.

15 of 17 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Chris

21-05-2012

I Really Miss Hitch

This excellent autobiography has now become too complete a work following Hitchens death in November 2011.

Written with wit and I think understated modesty this book shows a reflection of the man I hope existed. Not knowing him one can never be sure.

An excellent read, especially for a biography - a genre which I'm very selective with.

7 of 8 people found this review helpful

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

3 out of 5 stars

Story

4 out of 5 stars

flying_fin

16-01-2016

AKA the death of a radical

If you could sum up Hitch-22 in three words, what would they be?

The life of a great raconteur, journalist and public intellectual as a backdrop for musing on every philosophical and political topic and major event of historical importance imaginable. He name-drops wildly, but not for effect: he really was best friends with Martin Amis, knew Ian McEwan, Salman Rushdie, Gore Vidal. Susan Sontag etc. etc. He charts his beginnings from public school communist to an eventual slide to the right and becoming a non-pacifist and supporter of the war in Iraq, without losing his sense of outrage at the worst aspects of neo-con policies, bigotry, inequality and despotism.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hitch-22?

His accounts of riotously funny lunches with Kingsley Amis, Clive James and Martin Amis et al. Also his stories of life at an English boarding school were an eyeopener. Too many great stories to recount here.

Any additional comments?

My only criticism of the book is that sometimes Hitchens sounds a bit bored with himself whilst reading his autobiography. His voice sometimes trails away and it was sometimes hard to hear what he was saying.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Stephen

01-03-2012

How to be a Literatary and Polemic Genius

Christophers life as recorded in this book answers the question. With great honesty Christopher reviews the parts of his life that formed his opinions and world view. The answer to the question is to read deeply and widely. Returning to the same books at different times of life. TheTo also actually go and visit these places and talk with the participants. To become part of the debate. To get to the know the participants truely one must drink with them; long into the night and still be able to keep your wits about you. Christopher was a master at this. Hearing Christophers own voice reading the book made the listen personal and meaning filled. Worth every penny and every second spent listening and relistening.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Amazon Customer

20-07-2017

Marvellous

A wonderful insight into a thoughtful and compassionate man, I know I will listen to it again.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

William

20-01-2015

Wonderfull

"Words are poor receipts for what time has stolen away." - John Claire

A wonderful recording of a remarkable individual delivered in his own unique style.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

chris

13-12-2012

Life changing

This book should be a cold shower shock to most people who read it. The depiction of a life lived at full speed with a humbling thirst for truth and progressive thought is orated beautifully by the man himself. As this paragraph is meant to be a book review and not an opinion page about the mans politics as some below have cheaply used, I would advise that if you are intrigued by the beginnings and origins of one of the worlds greatest minds and writers, then this is simply unmissable. The combination of integrity and eloquence make this a book I was heartbroken to have reached the end of.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Alan Michael Forrester

12-04-2013

Interesting memoir

Christopher Hitchens was am interesting person. In this memoir he describes his life including his school days, the suicide of his mother, his political ideas and how he changed some of them over time. The book is very well written and interesting, sometimes funny, sometimes sad. The author's reading of the book is usually very good although I occasionally found it slightly too quiet. Very good.